By Raul Dominguez Jr., Contributing Writer :
May 7, 2013

While most consider greener living to be practical, there is also a more palatable side to it. Hearty samples of that lifestyle were dished out April 24 during Rackspace Hosting's Green Day event.

In its seventh year, Green Day educates and provides tips for Rackspace employees, a.k.a. Rackers, and the community on how to lead “a greener life.”

Green Day attendees were able to test drive fuel-efficient cars from North Park Lexus and see exhibits from 24 other vendors, including SAWS, CPS, Solar San Antonio, Audubon Center and Green Home Realty.

“What we call responsibility is just a huge initiative to us,” said Jaime Waltman, Rackspace lead events and hospitality team member. “We push sustainable living from our Rackers, our customer and community leaders. We just think it's an extremely important way to live today.”

Waltman and her 4-year-old son, Aiden, are living “green” by recycling clothes, toys, arts-and-crafts projects and even refining their eating habits.

“One thing I've always done for him ... is I've made his own baby food,” Waltman said. “So I have a Vitamix .. before you know it, you have a smoothie and I would throw them in Ziploc baggies and freeze them and that's how I would defrost his baby food every day.”

Not only does Waltman eliminate packaging waste by making her own baby food, she also feels better knowing there are no preservatives in it.

Joseph and Jessica Guerra decided to “go organic” and raise seven chickens and a duck in their backyard.

“We feed them good organic feed, so we get organic chicken eggs,” Joseph said. “They lay pretty much every day. We haven't bought eggs in a while.”

San Antonio allows residents three domestic fowls at their residence through a $50 permit, Guerra said. The Guerras were able to add to their flock through an excess animal permit, which also costs $50.

The Guerra's duck also lays eggs, which they say is higher in protein than, but tastes the same as, a chicken egg.

Having so many fowls may seem like a lot of mess, noise and work, but the Guerras said the contrary is actually true.

“They are really low maintenance,” Jessica said. “As long as they have fresh water and food, that's pretty much it. You just have to make sure they are confined to your backyard.”

Fresh Horizons made its Green Day appearance, providing organic burgers to those in attendance. Other organizations and companies provided details on organic apples, spices and tamales.

Tamales? Gardener's Feast based in Austin, demonstrated that the Mexican staple can be healthy, too.

“There are more people looking for healthy food,” said Mario Lee, Gardener's Feast distribution manager. “Normally, Mexican food is related with greasy food, with lard, (which is) not so healthy. Now we have this very good combination: the taste of Mexican food with the health of no lard and no gluten, preservative-free — all kinds of stuff that is good for the health.”

Gardeners Feast has won several prizes as the best tamales in town the past two years. “People are a little skeptical when they try them the first time, but it's always 100 percent of the people that come back and say the tamales are great,” Lee said.

Gardner's Feast tamales are not packaged for sale at grocery stores, but are sold fresh from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays at the farmer's market in front of Whole Foods Market at The Alamo Quarry.

Rackspace also helped eliminate the myth that living greener is unappealing visually. Some equate a water-friendly yard to a barren lawn filled with brown grass or rocks.

Not true, said Vince Vita, Bexar County Master Gardeners water conservation coordinator.

The key is planting colorful flowers and shrubbery that thrive in San Antonio's climate, such as Gold Star Esperanza, New Wonder Fan Flower, Shantung Maple and Chinese Pistache.

“It's important for our future generation and for our grandkids,” Vita said. “The population of Texas is going to double in the next 50 years and SAWS is doing everything it can to give people the knowledge that it is not an endless water supply. We're drawing down our water supplies and we need to start developing a culture now to ensure good clean water for our future generations.”